The National Capital Region from April to May: Showtek, Keys N Krates, Art Battle Ottawa, and May Day

Things are a bit calmer this week around the National Capital Region, but then again there’s still no shortage of events taking place. As always, there’s tons of stuff happening, and this is just a selection of highlights for the days ahead. For more information on each of these events, simply click on the poster or image associated with the event.

This Wednesday, May 1, the Ottawa Proletarian Revolutionary Action Committee invites you to partake in May Day at Babylon Nightclub. May Day, also known as International Workers Day, aims to celebrate the struggles and successes that workers of the world have embraced and fought for. The evening will feature live performances by anti-capitalist artists such as  Jeremy Owen, Loon Choir, Jesse Dangerously and more.

Also on Wednesday, May 1, DNA Presents invites you to a pre-Escapade music event featuring Showtek at LS Live. The EDM duo from Holland will be giving a live set alongside opening guests Mister Parker and Joe Rowe for the first of many Escapade Music Festival Pre-Parties that will take place between now and June 29.  

If you’re into that new crunk-bass sound, syrupy chops and screws, and trap, be sure to head to Ritual to catch Low Limit of Lazer Sword and Time Wharp. The two DJ/producers from LA will be in Ottawa as part of their US/Canada Spring Tour. This is a great opportunity to get familiar with new genres of electronic music.

This Friday, May 3 is the monthly edition of Tropikalo, a night of dancing to the best in afro/latin/carribean/tropical sounds. The monthly event, recently relocated to the Mercury Lounge, will feature music selected by DJs Zattar, Trevor Walker and Lance Baptiste. If you want to dance the night away to contagious rhythms this Friday, this is the place to  be. 

This month, Tropikalo has some competition with regards to owning dancefloor sounds because Reminisce Volume 2 is also going down on Friday, May 3 at Ritual. The annual event, organized by Wotless Crew will feature DJs Selekta Shellz, Sweet Chunes, Gazza 3.0, Redy and Star Skeebo playing the best in Reggae, Soca, Dancehall, R&B and Hip Hop.

This Saturday, May 4, Kapacity, Straight Goods, TheKnwldg.com and Good Problems join forces to present Keys N Krates live at Babylon Nightclub. The Dim Mak trio from Toronto will be in the National Capital City alongside special guests Thugli, a duo composed of DJs Drastik and Tom Wrecks, also based out of Toronto. Keys N Krates are known for their unique style which blends rap beats, trap and electronic music live. 

This Saturday, May 4, DNA Presents invites you to celebrate the one-year anniversary of Era with a live DJ set by Ariyan. The house and electro DJ will be giving a live set as part of the Privé series, which prides itself in presenting big DJs in small venues such as Era.  

Other noteworthy events happening this week in the National Capital include Fau Mardi featuring DJ Antoine McLanny of Speakerlover Records this Tuesday, April 30 at the Petit Chicago.

Also at the Petit Chicago this Wednesday, May 1, Snow Beach Entertainment presents the first installment of its EDM Series featuring House, Trap and Electro music selected by DJ AK & DJ NYSE.

On Thursday, May 2, there will be a Pop Up DJ Record Shop presented by The Girlfriends at Raw Sugar Cafe. If you’re looking for specific vinyls or if you simply want to enrich your growing collection, you don’t want to miss this rare opportunity. Some of Ottawa’s favorite DJs will be selling their vinyl records and there will be a listening station to allow you to preview the goods.

This Friday, May 3, check out the May edition of Frenzy with Iggy Smalls and Foster at Babylon. If you have tickets for the Keys N Krates show, you get a complimentary entrance to this event courtesy of the good people at Straight Goods Music.

Last but certainly not least, art aficionados won’t want to miss Art Battle Ottawa taking place this Sunday, May 5 at the Arts Court. This unique concept organized across Canadian cities, brings 12 painters together for a live painting competition. For its first time in Ottawa, Art Battle will feature live creations by Hamid Ayoub, Erica Taylor, Margo Bennetto, Andre-Marc Pierre, Omar Hopkinson , Lukasz Bober, Mark Stephenson , Cristian S. Aluas, and Peter Akiki.

So there you have it Ottawa-Gatineau, these are my suggestions of events for the days ahead. Be sure to check out some of the things happening around the city and enjoy your week in our eventful capital!

End April in the National Capital With StillNative, Northern Scene, Peanut Butter Wolf and Double Barrel

This upcoming week in the National Capital is so rich in events that it’ll certainly be hard to choose what to attend and what to miss out on. It’s not only rich in numbers, but also in variety!

To kick things off in music, the Up & Up Concert Series presents StillNative live at the Mercury Lounge. The Ottawa rock duo, made up of members Patrick Steele and Max Savage, will be performing some new material along with tunes found on their self-titled debut album. For detais on this show, click on the poster below.

Starting this Thursday, April 25 and taking place until May 4 is Northern Scene, a festival celebrating Canada’s northern culture, presented by the National Arts Centre. The 10-day celebration will feature 50 events with 250 artists spanning from the theatre, danse, film, music, food, fashion and visual arts fields. For the full programming and festival details, just click on the below poster.    

This Friday night, April 26, art enthusiasts will want to check out Swarm, a gallery crawl across the National Capital which presents 145 artists and 15 exhibitions. Organized by the National Arts Centre, the free event includes a fashion show and music performances at the NAC and will conclude with an after-party at Club SAW. You can grab more info, by clicking on the event poster below.

On Friday, April 26, World Famous Music presents John Carroll & The Epic Proportions live at the Blacksheep Inn in Wakefield. The singer-songwriter and his band, whose musical style mixes influences of blues, folk, roots and rock, will be joined on stage by special guest Ken Voita. For details and ticket information, simply click on the event poster below. 

Also this Friday, April 26, Stones Throw Records founder Peanut Butter Wolf of LA will be doing a rare live VJ set at Ritual alongside special guest Homeboy Sandman. To grab everything you need to know on this event, just click on the below poster. 

Les vendredis complètement malades present Retour vers le futur this Friday, April 26 at the Petit Chicago in the Old Hull sector of Gatineau. DJs Manalogue, Grumpy B, Julien Racine and VJ Bourgatron invite you to help raise funds for Parkinson research during a futuristic retro night of music. If you’d like to know more on this event, just click on the poster.  

This Friday, April 26, DJ Magnificient invites you to a special April edition of Double Barrel with invited guest The Gaff. The Saskatoon-based DJ, currently on a North American tour, will be making his Ottawa debut with an all-45s set featuring the best in Funk, Soul, Motown, and Vintage Reggae. For details, simply click the event poster below.

On Saturday, April 27, bboys and bgirls across the National Capital Region will surely gather at McNabb Recreation Centre for the Keep Rockin’ Vol. 2 breakdance battles. The event, presented by Icanbboy, will feature 3 on 3 battles and 1 on 1 toprock battles with crews from Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal and beats by DJ Zattar. Following the battles, there will be an after party at Fall Down Gallery. If this is an event for you, click on the poster below to grab more info. 

Also on Saturday, April 27, Madamme SweetPea presents Striphop, an Evening of Burlesque Hip Hop Fusion at Babylon Nightclub. The event, taking place before the monthly edition of Grind, will feature Jesse Dangerously, electropop sweethearts Billz & Woo, Rockalily Burlesque and more. 

If you’re into calypso and roots reggae, I encourage you to head over to Ritual this Saturday, April 27 for the Kobo Town Album Release Show. Toronto-based group Kobo Town, who’ll be launching their new album Jumbie in the Jukebox, will be performing live in Ottawa to promote their latest studio effort. For ticket information and details, just click on the event poster below.

Other noteworthy events happening this week include Firebelly live at the Brasseurs du Temps  this Monday, April 22. The up and coming modern blues group from the Outaouais region will be performing as of 7:30 pm.

With respect to the spoken word poetry scene, the Urban Legends Poetry Slam will take place this Friday, April 26 at 7:15 pm at the Architecture Building at Carleton University. This edition of the poetry slam will feature Ottawa spoken word artist John Akpata and will be hosted by ArRay-Of-Words.

Another big event for the spoken word scene is Capital Slam featuring OpenSecret  this Saturday, April 27. The slam, which will take place at the Mercury Lounge, will present a special feature with Ikenna Onyegbula aka OpenSecret, the Champion of this year’s Canadian Individual Slam Competition and a personal favorite of mine and many.

Venezuelan-born international visual artist Juan Carlos Noria, also known as Dixon will present an exhibiton of paintings entitled Damaged Goods at Fall Down Gallery as part of the venue’s two-year anniversary party. The event will feature some of Dixon’s latest work along with beats by DJ Acro.

So this wraps up my suggestions of exciting events for the days ahead. Here’s to hoping you find something fun to do this week and that you enjoy the end of April in Canada’s National Capital.

Event Review: Ariane Moffatt Woos Ottawa-Gatineau With Her Latest Show

Ariane Moffatt © photo courtesy of Philippe Rezzonico

Ariane Moffatt will never call Ottawa boring again thanks to the warm welcome that she received from her fans from the National Capital Region who gathered at the Theatre of the National Arts Centre on Thursday, April 18, to see the popular francophone singer-songwriter perform live.

Ariane Moffatt performed in front of a sold-out crowd who was visibly thrilled to have her back in the area after her last performance in the region which dated back to March 2012, when she gave a concert at the Canadian Museum of Civilization as part of the MA Tour.

Fanny Bloom, better known for her contribution to the now-defunct electro-pop trio La Patère Rose, took care of the opening set during which she introduced songs from her debut solo album Apprentie Guerrière released in 2012. It was a short but sweet set at the piano allowing the public to discover Fanny Bloom’s latest project.

A short intermission followed the opening act, after which the main portion of the night unfolded. Ariane Moffatt, who recently finished filming the French-version of the popular television show The Voice, was joined on stage by her excellent musicians, who all share a nice complicity with the singer-songwriter.

As with every performance, she was vibrant, energetic and in great shape, often speaking with the crowd as if everyone was a childhood friend. Since the show was meant to promote her latest album MA, Ari, as her friends call her, sang most of the songs from her fourth studio effort.

The set list featured a nice variety of songs from all four of her albums, including Walls of the World, In Your Body, Hotel Amour, Mon Corps, Too Late, and Sourire sincère from MA, La fille de l’iceberg from Tous les sens, Imparfait and Le coeur dans la tête from Le coeur dans la tête, and Poussière d’ange from Aquanaute that she performed solo on the piano.

Ariane also performed a beautiful cover of Kate Bush’s song Running Up That Hill, which the public surely enjoyed based on the crowd’s reaction and cheers.   

Pleased with the crowd’s response, she concluded with not one but two encores, performing the songs Je veux tout, Montréal, Will You Follow Me and Point de mire to the public’s greatest delight. It’s safe to say that Ariane Moffatt’s latest show wooed her Ottawa-Gatineau fans who cheered throughout most of the performance. Ariane promised to be back in the near future to everyone’s delight.    

Discover Ariane Moffatt and listen to the singer-songwriter’s music via her official website site.

You can also check out the video for Too Late below

Event Review: La Cavale Delights Gatineau With a Brand New Show

Antoni Gilbert of La Cavale © photo courtesy of O-Zone Productions

It certainly isn’t easy to gain recognition when you are an emerging band getting started in the music industry. This being said, the challenge hasn’t stopped La Cavale from growing and spreading its francophone folk music across the province of Quebec.

La Cavale, a francophone folk music project launched in the Outaouais region a little over two years ago, is lead by Antoni Gilbert, a hard-working singer-songwriter who sings, plays the ukulele, the piano and the harmonica all during one show. Antoni is accompanied by violonist William Lamoureux, drummer Mathieu Péloquin, acoustic guitarist Alain Barbeau, and bassist Nicolas Crisafi and together they form La Cavale.

After performing their first show ever at the Petit Chicago two years ago, La Cavale returned to the Gatineau venue this past Wednesday, April 17 equipped with a debut album, unreleased material and an all-new show, which clearly delighted the crowd of people that had gathered to see the local group perform live.

Opening for La Cavale was Bastien Vaultier, a singer-songwriter originally from La Rochelle in France who’s been working out of Gatineau and Montreal for some time now. Vaultier’s musical style blends pop, funk, folk, soul and blues accompanied by light-hearted lyrics and a beautiful voice, which combined, bring the listener on a joyful musical journey between France and Quebec. Bastien Vaultier was joined on stage by an acoustic guitarist, a drummer, a guitarist and bassist, musicians who were great additions to the live performance. The 30-minute set list included Chemin de traverse, Les princesses de La Rochelle, A quoi ca sert d’être malheureux, and closing song La nuit noire. Bastien Vaultier’s refreshing performance was the perfect opener for what would follow.

La Cavale took to the stage shortly after 10:00 pm, visibly happy to be back at the Petit Chicago after a two-year absence. Encouraged by the crowd’s enthusiasm, La Cavale delivered a refreshing performance, which clearly showed the progress and experience that the group gained over the past year. A confident and comfortable Antoni kicked things off with Les affranchis followed by La fille de la maison de thé, and L’Homme debout qui observait le ciel, a song that won a poetry contest with Impératif Français, an organization which promotes the French language and culture.

The group continued with L’Emile, a crowd favorite found on the album Le coureur des voix that talks about the love of a father for his son. They carried on with Le balcon des cerisiers, a song that speaks about grieving a sudden death. From one tune to the next, La Cavale sings about life and death, about loving and grieving, and the hardships of mental health (5e étage), subjects that are part of the group’s growing repertoire. It’s impossible to talk about La Cavale without mentioning the poetic texts found at the heart of each composition. A true poet and storyteller, Antoni writes evocative songs and knows how to captivate his audience with beautiful lyrics that depict intricate visual imagery and stories.

During the second half of the show, La Cavale performed Le bal de Pampelune, a beautiful valse on which the violin has a strong presence, also found on Le coureur des voix. Then, seemingly out of no where, Antoni invited on stage special guest Mathieu Gagnon, a talented harmonica player part of the local group Firebelly, who played his instrument during a super fun blues satire song on French protests about same-sex marriage.

La Cavale ended their one-hour set with L’ancre qu’il nous faudra jeter and concluded with A l’ombre du rêve d’hier soir during which Antoni introduced his musicians and thanked the crowd for their presence and ongoing support. Despite the audience’s cheers and applause however, La Cavale didn’t come back for an encore, to the disappointment of many, something they should’ve done for their fans. Regardless, the group delivered a professional and entertaining performance during which the musicians were in great control of their instruments and demonstrated a strong stage presence.

After a successful show at the Petit Chicago in Gatineau, the group now embarks on a tour of Quebec to be discovered by new fans and to spread their sounds across the four corners of the francophone music scene. If things keep looking up for La Cavale, Antoni and his musicians have a promising career ahead of them.

Get to know La Cavale by checking out their  BandCamp page  and listen to Le coureur des voix to become familiar with the group’s music.

Special Feature: Hip Hop Karaoke Ottawa

Atherton and DJ So Nice, the hosts of Hip Hop Karaoke Ottawa

Hip Hop Karaoke Ottawa isn’t your normal karaoke night out on the town. It steps away from the conventional video screen bouncy ball read-a-long karaoke jam and allows you to momentarily become Nas, Jay-Z, or Missy Elliott performing live. Hosted by DJ So Nice and Atherton, the monthly night has gained momentum in the past year and has become a popular Thursday night out in the National Capital City. I had the chance to catch up with DJ So Nice just in time for the April edition of Hip Hop Karaoke Ottawa to ask him some questions about the unique monthly event. Here’s the result of our exchange:

Elly: Hip Hop Karaoke is a recent movement that was launched in NYC back in 2004. Since then, it has gained significant momentum in England, Canada, Iceland and even Australia. When did Hip Hop Karaoke Ottawa come into existence and what prompted you to create a local chapter?

DJ So Nice: I’ve always wanted to do a Hip Hop Karaoke night ever since I saw it being done in other cities on YouTube. However, I knew that if I was to do it I needed a really dope host. I suck on the mic, and can’t really rock a crowd that well. When I met Atherton and got to know him, I realized that he was a people person and was amazingly comfortable on stage. So it was easy: last summer I asked him if he wanted to do Hip Hop Karaoke with me, and we took it from there. It’s been a blast ever since. The dude is funny as hell, and with me on the decks I think we’re the dream team of this karaoke shit.

Elly: For those unfamiliar with the concept, could you explain what Hip Hop Karaoke is? 

DJ So Nice: Think of regular karaoke. Okay, now hold that thought. Now remove the teleprompter. Replace the corny music with Hip Hop jams. Replace the crowd of old folks with some hyped up youths. Replace the karaoke machine with an awesome DJ and take it out of a bar and into a club setting. This is Hip Hop Karaoke. A spot where people are not reading lyrics, but rather, they are putting on a awesome showcase and living life as pseudo celebrities for a night.

Elly: That sounds like a whole lot of fun! As the hosts of Hip Hop Karaoke Ottawa, what roles do you respectively play each time the monthly event takes place?

DJ So Nice: I bring the music and Atherton brings the humor. We’re both entertainers, but in our own ways. I have to keep people bopping their heads, he has to keep people engaged. And the crowd loves it!

Elly: How would you describe the crowd that attends Hip Hop Karaoke Ottawa?

DJ So Nice: We love the crowd. I like to think that we do a good job at making the event very inclusive to all walks of life from all scenes. If I had to describe what kind of a crowd we get though, I would saw they’re an awesome crowd. They know the words to every hip hop classic, and get buck wild when people are performing. It brings tears to my eyes sometimes.

Elly: How do you ensure that there’s sufficient variety and that it’s not always the same songs being performed? 

DJ So Nice: There’s honestly so many hip hop classics and hits to choose from, we don’t really encounter that problem. Sure we’ve had the same song performed two months in a row before, but that’s okay. We find that there’s an amazing variety in the song selection month after month. Some people are about testing their linguistics and picking a tongue twister of a song like “Look at Me Now”. Others are old school heads who perform a classic LL Cool J joint. And then we have some who have a more eclectic taste and perform South African hip hop! The variety comes naturally, we don’t really need to do much quality control.

Elly: With Hip Hop Karaoke Ottawa heading back outside to Mugshots for the summer season, what do you hope to achieve?

DJ So Nice: We just hope for some amazing performances this year! I’d personally like to see some more group performances, those are always fun. Mugshots is a great bar, and their outdoor courtyard is an amazing spot with so much character. All we really want is for people to have fun and be happy. When the crowd is happy, we’re happy.

I’d like to invite people to check out www.HHKOTT.com for more information and sign ups!

Hip Hop Karaoke Ottawa, hosted by DJ So Nice and Atherton, takes places every third Thursday of the month at Babylon Nightclub at 317 Bank Street. Moving forward as of May however, the monthly event will be relocated to Mugshots’ outdoor courtyard located at 75 Nicholas Street. 

Mid-April in the Capital City: From Swollen Members and Bonobo to One More Time: A Daft Punk Tribute

If you thought last week was packed with exciting events happening in and around the National Capital Region, wait until you read the list of events that I’ve prepared for you for the next seven days. It’s safe to say that once again, the week ahead has something fun in store for everyone in Ottawa-Gatineau.

This Monday, April 15, fans of underground hip hop will be happy to know that the Swollen Members will perform live at  Ritual Nightclub. The Vancouver-based rappers will be giving an all-ages show in Canada’s Capital City alongside CityReal and Buck n’ Nice. To get more information on this event, just click on the image below.

On Wednesday, April 17, Gatineau folk group La Cavale returns to the Petit Chicago in the city’s Old-Hull sector to give a live performance after a two-year absence. Presenting new songs and unreleased material, La Cavale will be accompanied by opening act Bastien Vaultier. For details, click on the event poster below. 

Also on Wednesday, April 17, Bonobo will be doing a live DJ set in Ottawa as part of the North Borders Tour. The British DJ and Producer, initially scheduled to perform at Babylon, will now be doing his set next doors at Barrymore’s due to overwhelming demand. If you want to know more on this event, click on the poster below. 

This Thursday, April 18, Kapacity Entertainment presents Sean Price aka Sean P of Bootcamp Click and Duckdown Records live at Ritual. The Brooklyn rapper will be performing live in Ottawa alongside DJ PF Cuttin’ and special guests Fortunato, Mic Boogie, Brokenbridge and more. For event details, just click on the below poster. 

The April edition of Hip Hop Karaoke Ottawa is happening this Thursday, April 18 at Babylon. As of May, the monthly event will be moving back outdoors to Mugshots for the summer season. If you’d like to sign-up to perform or if you simply want more info, click on the banner below.

Those of you who enjoy Electronic Dance Music will be glad to know that Congorock will throw a live set at the JunXion Public House alongside Clockwork as part of the April 18 special edition of Wild Things Thursdays. The Italian EDM DJ and Producer, whose debut album will be released this Spring, will be supported by NYC-based DJ Clockwork. You can grab more info by clicking on the event poster below.   

With respect to the local artistic scene, host Brandon Wint invites you to attend the april edition of the Artistic Showcase this Friday, April 19 at Pressed Cafe. The evening of artistic expression will feature music and poetry by Amanda Cottreau, Ali Alikhani, Hyfidelik the Gypsy Sun, Balam Santos and Amai Kuda. To obtain more info, simply click on the event poster below.   

Special guest DJ Quantic of of Tru Thoughts will be doing a live set a the Mercury Lounge this Friday, April 19. The British-Colombian DJ and Producer known for his important contributions to the international alternative dance music scene, will be laying down dancefloor tunes alongside resident DJs Lance Baptiste, Ray Ray and Balu. If you’d like more info on this event, you can get some by clicking on the poster below.

Daft Punk fans will surely head over to LS Live this Friday, April 19 for One More Time: A Tribute to Daft Punk. The first and only realistic tribute of their kind, Daft Punk Tribute recreates a one hour 15 minute set of Daft Punk classic anthems complete with a full scale pyramid stage. For everything you need to know, click on the event poster below.   

Fool’s Gold Records founder Nick Catchdubs will be stopping by Babylon this Friday, April 19 for a live DJ Set. The Brooklyn DJ and Producer will be dropping heavy sounds alongside Iggy Smalls, Gregular, I8A4RE, and Matt Tamblyn. Catch more info by clicking on the event poster below.

On Saturday, April 20, World Famous Music presents Rankin Yout & the Dub Pilots, Ottawa’s newest dub reggae project, live at Ritual. Featuring vocalist and frontman Ranking Yout (aka Gary ‘Slim’ Moore’) of Slim Moore & the Mar-Kays, the group will be supported by DJ Zattar who’ll be providing the beats and warming up the crowd. For more info, you can click on the event poster below. 

Other noteworthy events happening this week include Anberlin, Paper Route, Make Do and Mend live at Ritual on Wednesday, April 17. For those unfamiliar with the bands, the live show will feature a mix of alternative rock, punk rock and electro pop music.

The Mercury Lounge invites you to the launch of Night One this Thursday, April 18, a collaboration between Fau Mardi and BSK which brings a night of live electronic sounds, visuals and installations by Ottawa and Montreal-based artists. The event will feature performances by Noir, Your Best friend John Jacob, Grumpantic, and André & Michele with visuals by Matt Cameron, Sasha V.

On Friday, April 19 and Saturday, April 20, Victoire boutique invites you To The Nines: A Vintage Dress Event. This is a rare occasion to get your hands on unique one-of-a-kind vintage dresses for the summer season. The sale will include vintage bridal gowns and bathing suits as well.

For those who like R&B, you may want check out Silk on Saturday, April 20 at the Raw Sugar Cafe. I8A4RE, Eric Roberts and Matt Tamblyn will be playing the best R&B anthems from the 90s to today.

So there you have it Ottawa-Gatineau, these are my suggestions of events for the upcoming days. Keep in mind that this is just a glimpse of what’s happening out there! I hope you enjoy your week wether you’re in Ottawa or the Gatineau area and that you have the opportunity to attend some of the fun events taking place in the days ahead in our eventful National Capital.

Event Review: VioleTT Pi Makes a Colourful Gatineau Debut

VioleTT Pi, comprised of lead vocalist and guitarist Karl Gagnon, bassist Éric Auclair, drummer Maxime Drouin, and guitarist and sampler Sylvain Deschamps made their Gatineau debut this past Saturday, April 13, with a live performance at the Petit Chicago meant to promote their first full-length album titled eV.

A confusion of alternative rock, mixed with electroclash, pop, and punk with undertones of grunge: this is how one could attempt to describe the sounds of VioleTT Pi, an emerging francophone band originating from Granby lead by frontman Karl Gagnon. Then again, attempting to describe VioleTT Pi’s musical style is a challenge of its own since there is apparently no such thing as being definable in Karl Gagnon’s world. A world in which the listener is asked to enter without prejudices and with an open-mind capable of absorbing the colourful and sometimes macabre visual imagery painted by the lyrics.

Without an opening act, VioleTT Pi performed two sets to a decent crowd of 40 to 50 people gathered at the Old Hull venue to discover the intriguing character live. Donning a Korn t-shirt, flowery Adidas track pants, huge glasses and a ninja turtle cap, the 25-year old francophone singer-songwriter gave out great energy and projected a flexible voice which moved from whispers and metal gore screams to high-pitched tones.

At times cannibalistic and somewhat depressive, the lyrics can be borderline creepy for some, seemingly thrown together without much thought, but with lots of word play, sexual tension and emotional turmoil spread throughout. That being said, the ever-changing rhythms and musicality behind each song evoke liveliness and carefully thought out compositions. Although the upbeat sounds inevitably make you tap your feet, the lyrics leave you wondering what goes on in the mind of VioleTT Pi. The setlist included the tracks Petit Singe Robot, Pogo, Princesse carnivore, Jeffrey Dahmer au musée d’art contemporain, Black Velvet, Bulbe, La pluie du dragon and Fleur de Londres for which a video was released.

Although unpredictable and a bit hard to follow, VioleTT Pi gave an entertaining performance true to his undefinable image, concluding with a dance solo signed Karl Gagnon, who was clearly amused by his own little routine. The musicians were consistently solid from start to finish and elevated the show thanks to their respective talent.

VioleTT Pi’s eccentric personality may be too much to take in for some, but it’s clearly part of the character and desired image projected by Karl Gagnon. To help focus on the sounds rather than the person, it’s safe to say there could be less blabber to let the music speak for itself. Let’s just say VioleTT Pi sounds better on record, than he does live at this point.

To discover VioleTT Pi, take a look at the group’s official BandCamp page and give eV a listen. You can also check out the video for Fleur de Londres below.

Event Review: Oliver Mtukudzi and the Black Spirits Bring Tuku Music to Ottawa

Hailing from the heart of Africa, Oliver Mtukudzi and the Black Spirits brought Tuku Music to Ottawa this past Sunday, April 7 to the delight of many. Together they demonstrated Tuku Music, the term coined by Mtukudzi’s fans that describes the distinctive style of his sound, in all its glory. The rare show, organized by World Famous Music, took place at Ritual.

Opening for Mtukudzi and his band was Mighty Popo, Ottawa’s favorite Rwandan/Burundian singer-songwriter. Popo, who is normally surrounded by a live band, performed his first-ever solo acoustic set with Tanzanian chorist Nema. Unfortunately, part of the audience was being loud and not paying attention during Popo’s set, to the extent that it disturbed the artist and other audience members who were trying to listen. Several times, Popo asked for quiet out of respect for the art of music. This did little to help, but regardless Popo continued his intimate set despite the noise. Because of this however, he didn’t perform Nibarize, a beautiful song on which the lyrics are whispered. Popo performed several songs from his repertoire, including Gakondo, a tune about his family tree, and another one dedicated to all mothers. He concluded with the joyful Life is a Celebration, complete with plenty of crowd participation.

After a 30-minute intermission, Oliver Tuku Mtukudzi and the Black Spirits came on stage. At 60 years old, Mtukudzi is still full of life and energy and has got some killer dance moves. Dressed in a bright blue ensemble and donning his best white shoes, the Zimbabwean music icon grabbed his guitar and kicked off a refreshing performance that lasted well over an hour. The Black Spirits, comprised of a bassist, a drummer and a congas player, projected great energy as well and were instrumental throughout the performance. Not only did they play their respective instruments and dance along, they also threw in a good dose of humor.

Mtukudzi began with a mellow thought-provoking song titled Hero in which he asks “What is a hero? Do you have to die to be a hero?” A wise man of experience, he repeatedly conversed with the crowd, telling the audience stories about his homeland and how where he’s from “you don’t get to sing a song when you have nothing to say”. The set list included crowd favorites Here Me Lord, Todii and Hossana among others.

Throughout the performance, people sang along with Mtukudzi showing him love by dancing, cheering and giving him back the energy that he put forth. The music was certainly contagious enough that the few audience members constrained to their seats soon abandoned them to dance with the rest of the crowd.

It was a humbling experience to have the opportunity to see this African music legend perform live and also very encouraging to see that the people of Ottawa-Gatineau came out in large numbers to support such an incredible artist.

If you don’t already, get to know Oliver Tuku Mtukudzi and listen to the song Todii below.

Mid-April in the Capital City: From METZ and Jokers of the Scene to Fela Night and Moka Only

With another super eventful week behind us, it’s now time to take a look at some of the events scheduled to take place in our National Capital City in the days ahead. Once again, there’s no shortage of fun and interesting things happening around Ottawa-Gatineau.

This Monday, April 8, SAW Gallery presents the launch of the Talk Talk Speakers Series, free conferences meant to showcase contemporary artists and cultural innovators. The first speaker series will feature special guests Bayrol Jimenez and Omero Leyva, two Mexican artists who create unique drawings and paintings while bringing attention to cultural issues. Some of Jimenez’s work will be included in the National Gallery of Canada’s upcoming exhibition Sakahàn: International Indigenous Art. For more information, click on the event poster below. 

This Wednesday, April 10, ex-Swollen Members representative Moka Only will be giving a live performance at Ritual in an effort to promote his latest albums Airport 6 and Martian Xmas 2012. The Canadian underground hip hop artist will be performing alongside local artists Buck n’ Nice, Missing LinX, ODmE, En-V and Diamond and Cruz. For details on this event, simply click on the image below.  

Also on Wednesday, April 10, Spectrasonic presents METZ who’ll be stopping by Babylon as part of their US Spring Tour. The Toronto post-punk band will be performing live in Ottawa with opening acts The Soupcans, a Toronto garage/punk group and Ottawa hardcore group Pregnancy Scares. For details, click on the event poster.  

Starting this Thursday, April 11 and running until Sunday, April 14, the Ottawa Guild of Potters invites you to celebrate 40 years of pottery with the annual Pottery Sale and Exhibition. The event, taking place at the Shenkman Arts Centre, offers free admission to those attending. This is the perfect place to check out pottery and to purchase a piece that you can gift. If this interests you, you can grab more info by clicking on the event poster below

This Friday, April 12, the Canadian Museum of Civilization invites you to its second edition of Uncorked! a special night of wine-tasting in an enchanting decor. This installment of the Uncorked! series will feature Canadian wines. There may be a few tickets left, but the event will sell out so do hurry up if you plan on attending. You can get additional information by clicking on the below banner.

Electro music lovers will be happy to know that Jokers of the Scene, also referred to as JOTS, will be doing a live set at the Mercury Lounge this Friday, April 12 thanks to a collaboration between the venue and Indie Montreal. The Toronto duo, known for their tracks Baggy Bottom Boys and Revolting Joks is sure to bring the noise for a guaranteed night of non-stop dancing. Check out details by clicking on the event poster.

For the poster alone, the Grillz & Glam Welcome to the Jungle Edition seems like it’s got the potential to offer a pretty good night this Friday, April 12. Currently without a Facebook event page to boast its street cred, I can safely attest to the greatness that is this monthly party with beats brought to you by DJ Brains4brkfst and DJ NDN. 

Also this Friday, April 12, Dubsmack invites you to celebrate its 3-year anniversary with special guest Charlie Darker. The monthly dubstep and electro music night has gained popularity around the Capital City over the past years and has proven to be an event not to be missed by fans of the genre. Montreal-based DJ Charlie Darker will have the honor of doing a live set for Dubsmack’s birthday party. If you want in on the action, click on the poster below for more info.  

On Saturday, April 13, the Mercury Lounge invites you to Fela Night 2013, an annual tribute to Fela Kuti put on by the venue. The event includes a drumming circle from 7 to 10pm followed by a night of dancing to the sounds of DJs Elorious Cain and Trevor Walker who’ll be be spinning originals and remixes of Fela Kuti’s afrobeat music. For details on this event, just click on the poster below. 

Other worthwhile events happening this week around the National Capital Region include the Urban Legends Poetry Slam featuring Toronto spoken word artist Britta Badour. The slam takes place on Friday, April 12 in the pit of the Architectural Building at Carleton University.

Also on Friday, April 12, Kitchen Party invites you to the Rochester Pub & Eatery for a night of music with DJs Hobo & Sweetcheeks and special guest DJ Meterman from Spins & Needles. The trio will be taking care of the tunes, ensuring that you dance to a mix of funk, soul, disco, hip hop and electro.

This Saturday, April 13 on the Quebec side, the Petit Chicago presents a live performance by VioleTT Pi, a downright colorful singer-songwriter from Granby who’s touring across the province in an effort to promote his debut album eV.

As for the EDM scene, Leon Bolier will be doing a live set at Era as part of the weekly Privé series. The Dutch DJ is known for mixing anything from EDM, Trance, Progressive, Techno, Tech House, Minimal, Neo Trance, House, and Tech Trance styles.

So that’s about it for this week’s event suggestions in and around Ottawa-Gatineau. This should be enough to keep you busy wether you choose to attend a show, a conference or an art exhibition. Be sure to check back in next week for more event ideas taking place in our eventful capital!

Event Review: Joey Bada$$ and Pro Era Drop a Dose of Real Hip Hop in Canada’s Capital City

Joey Bada$$ and the Pro Era boys were in Ottawa this past Saturday night as part of the Beastcoastal Tour which is taking them across North America and it’s safe to say that the National Capital City represented to the fullest.

Don’t judge a book by its cover. At 18, Joey Badass is nothing short of talented. Although he was born in 1995, the Pro Era kid’s lyricism and beats sound like they’re straight out of the golden years of American hip hop.

The up and coming Brooklyn rapper and his crew performed live at Ritual Nightclub to a hyped-up sold out crowd alongside opening acts Flatbush Zombies and The Underachievers.

The show opened with some local support after which The Underachievers took to the stage. The Brooklyn duo, made up of members Issa Dash and AK, are the latest Beast Coast rappers to emerge from the NY borough, made famous for hip hop legends such as Biggie, Jay-Z and Nas. The Underachievers performed tracks from their debut mixtape Indigoism, tag-teaming in rapid back-and-forth spit-fire fashion. The duo projected great on-stage energy and gave a short but sweet opening performance.

Flatbush Zombies, also of NY, who have gained momentum in the past year, performed live for the second time in Ottawa after opening for Smoke DZA at Ritual back in October of 2012. As soon as they hit the stage, the crowd went crazy wild to the point that I have rarely seen Ritual that turned up. It was clear  then and there that over half of the crowd had gathered to see Flatbush Zombies although they were opening for Joey Bada$$ and the Pro Era fam. At one point, a random concert-goer even managed to jump on stage, but was soon removed by security.

The NY trio, comprised of childhood friends Erick Arc Elliott, Zombie Juice, and Meechy Darko, kicked off their set with MRZA and soon followed with S.C.O.S.A. and Thug Waffle, three of the group’s more popular tracks. Had it been for the crowd, Flatbush Zombies would’ve performed a full set, but since they were opening, they wrapped things up  in 30 minutes and made way for Joey Bada$$ and his crew. At that point, several Flatbush fans left Ritual, allowing for more space in the previously packed venue.

Joey Bada$$ quickly jumped on stage and got right into his set with tracks from his 1999 debut mixtape, the one that got him noticed and quickly put him on the map as a new rapper to watch for. He started out solo and performed Waves after which he was soon joined by Pro Era members CJ Fly and Chuck Strangers for World Domination, Don’t Front, FromDa Tombz, Pennyroyal and Pantie Raid from the Rejex mixtape.

Between tracks, Bada$$ interacted with the crowd and repeated how Canada shows him mad love and how he “fucks with each and every one of” his fans. He was clearly appreciative of the Canadian support that he’s been receiving and showed it by giving fans a memorable performance.

Bada$$ and the Pro Era boys kept things moving with the DJ Premier produced track Unorthodox followed by Hardknock on which one of the boys beatboxed. The Pro Era fam made sure to remind the crowd about Capital STEEZ, their friend and partner who recently died of suicide, asking everyone to put their lighters up in recognition. 

Joey Bada$$ closed the night with the fierce anthem Survival Tactics, a crowd favorite and a salute to his buddy Capital STEEZ. It was a solid exit and an even more solid performance coming from a highly eloquent, confident and entertaining young rapper.

Basically, you know it’s been a successful show when there’s crowd-surfing, beatboxing and a rowdy sold out crowd all in the same night. The show delivered by The Underachievers, Flatbush Zombies, Joey Bada$$ and the Pro Era team will easily go down as one of the best hip hop shows to ever happen in Ottawa.

Check out the video for Unorthodox below.